Google started by offering 100 of free email accounts, then 50, then 10 and as of today zilch. My customers are mostly very small businesses and they appreciated Google Apps services.

Google Apps Free Edition

Starting on December 6, 2012, Google will no longer offer new accounts for the free edition of Google Apps. Google Apps free edition is sometimes referred to as "Standard Edition."

More [here or [URL="http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2012/12/changes-to-google-apps-for-businesses.html"]here](http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&hlrm=en&answer=2855120)

ralphm
—
2012-12-07T01:57:35Z —
#2

Ah well, seems fair enough to me. I couldn't really understand why they had a free version anyway. The paid version is cheap as chips, and shouldn't cause a blip on the costsheet even of a very small business.

Corobori
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2012-12-07T02:15:17Z —
#3

Looking from a more developed country it's indeed a blip but when you are from a country where when asking US$150 for webhosting is considered as "very expensive" having to fork out US$50 per account looks a lot. I guess all my new customers will have to live with the email service provided by the hosting company and learn how to use an email client.

ralphm
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2012-12-07T02:21:18Z —
#4

Corobori said:

Looking from a more developed country it's indeed a blip ...

Yes, that's always a difficult problem in this international environment. I sometimes wonder why companies like Google don't quietly adjust prices for different regions. Seems a moral thing to do to me, and might get them more business, too, if your example is anything to go by. (I know that Adobe adjusts its prices for different regions ... at least upwards, anyway. Adobe products are hugely more expensive here in Australia, and I believe in the UK, than in the US itself .... even via digital download! Why? Because they know a lot of us will pay extra for it. :rolleyes: )

Corobori
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2012-12-07T02:39:30Z —
#5

ralph_m said:

even via digital download!

Crisp, even via download ? That is very weird. Is it because it takes more hops to reach you ? LOL

ralphm
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2012-12-07T03:07:49Z —
#6

Corobori said:

Crisp, even via download ? That is very weird. Is it because it takes more hops to reach you ? LOL

No, someone questioned Adobe a few years ago over why their software is so much more expensive in the UK and Aus, and they admitted that it's because people in those countries are generally much more willing to part with their $$$ than North Americans. In other words, "because they can".

attractsp
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2012-12-07T09:37:39Z —
#7

ralph_m said:

No, someone questioned Adobe a few years ago over why their software is so much more expensive in the UK and Aus, and they admitted that it's because people in those countries are generally much more willing to part with their $$$ than North Americans. In other words, "because they can".

Ah, the joys of being a monopoly... Anyway, maybe from Google's standpoint this is the logical decision to make. I'm not quite familiar with the free edition but if it didn't have any ads in it, I guess it just didn't make them enough money...

PromptSpace
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2012-12-07T10:46:10Z —
#8

Just move on to ZOHO.

ralphm
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2012-12-07T14:59:39Z —
#9

attractsp said:

if it didn't have any ads in it, I guess it just didn't make them enough money...

Even the paid version has ads in it. :rolleyes:

attractsp
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2012-12-11T11:58:54Z —
#10

ralph_m said:

Even the paid version has ads in it. :rolleyes:

Really? Well, if people are using it despite that they must like it very much then... What happened to Google's "don't be evil" policy?

ralphm
—
2012-12-11T12:26:33Z —
#11

attractsp said:

What happened to Google's "don't be evil" policy?

It fell in love with the "no child in poverty" policy, and they eloped and disappeared, never to be seen again ...